News

We are pleased to inform you that the Recycling Bins & Street Furniture Framework has been awarded. We believe that the new framework will not only offer a wider choice of suppliers but also cover our members' requirements comprehensively. The framework is split into the following lots:

You'll have seen in last month's newsletter that we've recently been recruiting for a Senior Contracts and Procurement Officer; this is because we are shortly to be losing Ranjana Kapur to pastures new.

A procurement challenge brought by European Dynamics earlier this year serves as a reminder of the importance of giving reasons to unsuccessful bidders when carrying out procurements subject to The Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

New thresholds for the application of the various public procurement regimes come into force on 1 January 2016. For supply and service contracts awarded by education establishments the new threshold above which the public procurement regime will apply is €209,000, or £164,176, for public works contracts its €5,225,000 or £4,104,394.

The Audio Visual Equipment and Equipment with Installation framework has been extended until 29th February 2016. The framework is to be re-tendered with a contract notice to be published in the OJEU on 1st December 2016.

The above framework expired on 30 November 2015. Having reviewed the low use of the framework over the last four years and having had very few enquiries about this framework the decision has been taken not to re-tender it at this time.

The public sector has become accustomed in recent years to an impending sense of doom ahead of budget or spending review announcements. Following FE budget cuts in real terms of 14% in the last parliament, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan conceded in September that the FE sector was in a "fragile" state. Amid recent ministerial statements that FE would not be protected from cuts, 125 FE College principles wrote to the Government warning that further cuts would tip them "over the precipice".

The EU Court of Auditors investigated how member states conduct procurements under The European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the European Social Fund (now the European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF)).

CPC are delighted to have recently joined a project with AoC, CCS and a number of colleges who have been working on the development of an agreement for procuring from Awarding Organisations under the new EU regulations.